Rheostat socket



Aug. 7, 1923.

C. B. KING RHEOSTAT SOCKET Filed April 13 19.22 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 $4/ gnou/woz I 331g M abme/no C. B. KING RHEOSTAT SOCKET Filed April 13, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 S11/Wenko@ Aug. 7, 1923.`

Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

UNITED STATES CHARLES E.` KING, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

nEEos'rAcr SOCKET.

Application filed April 13, 1922. Serial No. 552,185.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. KING, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, and resident of Detroit, county of Vayne, State. of Michian, have invented certain new and useful mprovemcnts in Rheostat Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rheostat socket 'of a type particularly adapted to be used in connection with radio apparatus. c

An important object of the invention 1s to rovide a simple, effective and compact device of the character mentioned by which the customary amplifying,r or detector tube used in connection with the radio apparatus may be'combined with a rheostat adapted to control or vary the amount of current passed through the same.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve the rheostat mounting and assembly, and so construct the device .that certa-in electrical units, such as amplifying transformers may be mounted thereon and form a complete amplifying unit or that a condenser and grid leak may be mounted thereon thus forming a detector unit.

Other objects and certain advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe device embodying my invention.

Figure 2 1s a. transverse sectional view vtaken on line Qf-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear View of the device as seen from the left in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top pla-n view of the device, the amplifying tube being removed'therefrom.

Figure 5 is asectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

In the drawings wherein is shown what l at present consider the preferred form of my invention, the numeral 5 indicates a panel having peak holes 6 provided therein through which the amplifying or detector tube, hereinafter more particularly referred to may be viewed. At the rear of the board 5 there is provided a socket indicated as a whole by the numeral 7. This socket is preferably constructed from suitable, insulating material and comprises a base 8, from which is extended a sleeve 9, adapted to receive the socket portion 10, ofthe usual form of tubey 11. In order that the tube 11 maybe temporarily locked within the socket 9 thereis provided a bayonet shaped sl ot. 1Q into which a lug 13, carried by the socket portion 10 of the tube is adapted to fit. The base 8 is cut away directly beneath the socket 5)` to provide a cavity or chamber. 14 into which the usual filament plate andvgrid terminals are adapted to proiect when the tubeli is locked within the socket9. A pair of webs or gussets 15 are formed integral with the base '8 and the socket 9j T'hesegussets are spacedv an appreciable distance from each other and present curved surfaces 16 aty their inner sides thus forming a rheostat pocket 17 intermediate the panel 5 and 'the socket 9. Vithin the pocket 17 there is arranged an arcuate shaped rheostat 18 which comprises a core of insulating material 19 around which is wound a resistance wire 20. In order to effectively retain the rheostat 18 in position there is provided a locking block Q1 which is cut away as shown at 2Q in order that the same may be spaced an appreciable distance from the base 8. as most clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5. This `block is provided centrally with a socket E23 into which is fitted one end of an operating shaft .24 which, at its outer end, is provided with a knob Q5 suitably locked thereto as by means-of a set screw Q6. The operating shaft carries a conductor finger 27 bent at its outer end to provide a contact foot 28 adapted to engage the rheostat 18 at any desired location. The shaft 24 is retained normally within the socket i3 by means of a resilient conductor 29 one end of which is extended to engage one of the filament confacts, whereas the other end is bent to provide a resilient arm 30 having a contact foot 31 which is maintained in thrusting engagement with the contact arm 2T. It will be appreciated that by the inherent resilience of the arm 30 the shaft 24; will he retained within the socket Q3, and the Contact arm 27 will be. retained in intimate engagement with the rheostat 1S. The conductor Q9 is secured in position by means of an elongated screw 3Q which also serves to retain the locking block Q1 in proper position within the rheostat 18. It is apparent that the locking block 2l and the screw 32 affords a simple and effective means for rigidly locking the rheostat 1S within the pocket 17 for the reason that when the screw 32 is adjusted to move the block Q1 downwardly an impinging action of the same is exerted upon the rheostat 18 thereby clamping the same between the wings or ussets 15 and said block. Not only does this ocking means make possible easy assembling of the device but also enables the several associated elements to be uickly disassembled if it should he desired or example to replace certain elements of the device.

To the under side of the base 8 there is connected a filament contact arm 33, a grid contact arm 34 and a plate contact arm These contact arms are held in position hy means of screws 36 adapted to engage internally screw threaded bosses 87 carried upon the opposite side of the base 8. These bosses are provided with binding screws 38 by means of which suitable conductors are electrically connected with the filament, grid, and plate contact arms 33, 34 and 35 respectively. lVithin the base 8 there is moulded an internally screw threaded sleeve 39 which is adapted to receive a screw 40 the inner end of which is maintained in engagement with the rheostat 18. The sleeve $39 is also provided with a binding screw 41 by means of which a suitable conductor leading to the rheostat is electrically connected to the sleeve.

It might be remarked that under certain conditions it would be desirable to mount on the socket 7 certain electrical units such for example as an amplifying transformer 41 thus forming an amplifying unit or if a detector unit by the mounting of a condenser and grid leak thereon and to this end I have illustrated, as shown at 42, a pair of internally screw threaded sleeves which are adapted to be moulded into the material from which the socket is formed. lVhile l have shown only two of these sleeves it is to be understood that as many'may be moulded in the device as are deemed necessary to accommodate such electrical units as it may be desired to associate with the device em bodying,r my invention. It will be noted that the gussets f) are also provided with internally screw threaded sleeves which are moulded therein as shown at 43. These sleeves are adapted to receive screws 44 by which the device may be attached to a panel such as is indicated by the numeral 5. If the device is to he attached to a hase or other support, the screw holes 45 formed in the base 8 may be employed for the reception of screws or bolts for rigidly mount-ing the device.

It will be understood that by turning the shaft- Q4 in one direction or the other through the instrumentality of the knob Q5, the position of the contact arm 27 may be so changed as to cut out or set in more or less resistance between the source of electrical energy and the filament of the tube of the amplifying or detector unit. It will be appreciated that while the position of the arm 2T is being changed and after the same has been set at a desired position an intimate contact is afforded between the arm and the rheostat 18 and also between thc arm and the conductor 30 by reason of the inherent re siliency of the latter named element which tends to exert an end thrust upon the shaft 24 at all times. It will be also appreciated that, by reason of the resiliency of the contact arms 33, 34 and 35, a positive electrical connection between the ilument, plate` and grid terminals and their respective contact arms is atforded at all times. To limit. the movement of the contact arms i2? in one direction I have provided a stop 46 which is formed integral with the block 2l and positioned relatively near one end of the rheostat 18. 1When the contact arm 2T is moved in an opposite direction it is desirable to relieve engagen'ient of the same with the rheostat 18 after the same has reached or nearly reached the limit of its travel, and to this end I provide a cam 2T which is also carried b v the block 21.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A rheostat socket comprising a base adapted to receive a tube. a rheostat elementl combined therewith for varyingY the amount of current supplied to said tube, and a movable clamping element adapted to lock said rheostat element in place.

2. A rheostat socket comprising;r a base adapted to receive a tube, a rheost a t element associated with said base for varying the amount of current supplied to said tube, a locking means located within said rheostat and adapted to lock the same in place, an operating shaft` and a contact arm carried by said shaft and adapted to engage saidI rheostat element.

A rheostat socket comprising a base adapted to receive a tube, a rheostat element associated with said base for varying the amount of current supplied to said tube` a clamp adapted to lock said rheostat element in place, an operating' sha-ft, a contact arm carried by said shaft and adapted to engage said rheostat element, and resilient means adapted to urge said arm into intimate electrical engagement with said rheostat element.

f 4. A rheostat socket comprising a base adapted to receive a tube, a rheostat element associated with said base for varying the amount of current supplied to said tube, a clampingblock adapted to lock said rhcostat clement in place, a rotatable and longi tudinally movable operating shaft associated with said. block, a contact arm carried by said shaft and adapted to engage said rheostat element, and a resilient conductor engaging said arm, said conductor being 6. A rheostat socket comprising a base.`

adapted to receive a tube, said base being provided with a rheostat pocket having walls, a rheostat element arranged Within said pocket, a binding block arranged within said pocket, means for moving said block to effect an impinging action upon said element whereby the same is retained within said pocket, an operating shaft, and a contact arm carried by said shaft and adapted. to engage said element.

7. A rheostat socket comprising a base adapted to receive a tube, said base being provided with a-rheostat pocket having walls, a rheostat element arranged within said pocket, a binding block arranged with in said coil, means for moving said block to effect an impinging action upon said coil whereby the same is retained Within said pocket, an operating shaft, a contact arm carried by said shaft and adapted to engage said element, and a resilient conductor adapted to exert an end thrust upon said shaft whereby said arm is urged into contact with said element.

8. A rheostat socket comprising a base adapted to receive a tube, a rheostat element associated with said base for varying the amount of current supplied to said tube, means adapted to lock said rheostat in place, an operating shaft, a contact arm carried by said shaft and adapted to engage said rheostat element, and means for relieving the engagement of said arm with said rheostat element after a predetermined movement ot said arm over said element.

9. A rheostat socket comprising a base A with Vsaid base, a locking block arranged within said element, means for adjusting said block to exert an impinging action upon said coil whereby the same is retained in position, an operating shaft, a contact arm carried by said vshaft and adapted to be moved to different positions upon said element to vary the amount of current supplied to said tube, resilient conductors adapted to engage said filament, plate, and grid terminals, one of said conductors being maintained in electrical engagement with said arm whereby said arm is urged into intimate electrical engagement with said element.

10. A rheostat socket comprising a base adapted to receive a tube having exposed filament, grid and plate terminals, a rheostat element associated with said base, `an operable contact arm for said rheostat element, a conductor leading toone of said terminals, said conductor being resilient and adapted to cooperate With said contact arm to urge the same into intimate electrical engagement with said rheostate element.

l1. A rheostat socket comprising a base adapted to receive a tube, a rheostat Aelement associated with said base, an operating'shaft, a contact arm carried by said shaft and adapted to engage said rheostat element, and a resilient conductor ada ted to exert an kend thrust upon said s aft whereby said arm is urged into contact with said element.

12. A rheosta't socket comprising a base adapted to receive the contact end of a tube having exposed filament, plate and grid terminals, a rheo'stat element associated with said base, an operating shaft, a contact arm carried by said shaft and adapted to be i moved 'to diierent positions upon said rheostat element to vary the amount of current supplied to said tube, conductors adapted to engage said filament, plate and grid terminals, one of said conductors being maintained in electrical engagement with said arm.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature to this specification.

CHARLES B. KING. 

